title: Low-dose radiotherapy in indolent lymphoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the response rate, duration of response, and overall survival after low-dose involved-field radiotherapy in patients with recurrent low-grade lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three (24 women, 19 men) consecutive patients with indolent lymphoma or CLL were treated with a total dose of 4 Gy (2 × 2 Gy) using 6- 18-MV photons. The median age was 73 years (range, 39-88). Radiotherapy was given either after (n = 32; 75%) or before (n = 11; 25%) chemotherapy. The median time from diagnosis was 48 months (range, 1-249). The median follow-up period was 20 months (range, 1-56).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall response rate was 90%. Twelve patients (28%) had a complete response, 15 (35%) had a partial response, 11 (26%) had stable disease, and 5 (11%) had progressive disease. The median overall survival for patients with a positive response (complete response/partial response/stable disease) was 41 months; for patients with progressive disease it was 6 months (p = 0.001). The median time to in-field progression was 21 months (range, 0-24), and the median time to out-field progression was 8 months (range, 0-40). The 3-year in-field control was 92% in patients with complete response (median was not reached). The median time to in-field progression was 9 months (range, 0.5-24) in patients with partial response and 6 months (range, 0.6-6) in those with stable disease (p < 0.05). Younger age, positive response to radiotherapy, and no previous chemotherapy were the best factors influencing the outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-dose involved-field radiotherapy is an effective treatment in the management of patients with recurrent low-grade lymphoma or CLL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossier
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miralbell
authors.forename: René O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Mirimanoff
authors.forename: Damien C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozsahin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies